Posts Tagged ‘toothache’

Don’t put up with troublesome tooth ache: make an appointment with an Aintree dentist

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Even the simplest of tasks like sleeping and eating can be rendered impossible if you suffer from a bout of the dreaded tooth ache. It can feel like it is taking over your life if you have a particularly severe instance of it and it is best to do something about it. Dealing with tooth ache will not only allow you to get on with your life but you might be dealing with a more serious problem in the process.

Tooth ache comes in different forms, from the mild to the extremely painful and constant. You might experience mild tooth ache if your enamel is wearing away and thus exposing the sensitive interiors of your teeth. Severe tooth ache can occur after an accident that has affected the mouth or if you have an abscess. Abscesses are the result of infections that occur within the tooth itself. These will probably need to be dealt with through root canal treatment. Other causes of tooth ache can include bruxism. This is the act of grinding teeth while asleep and it can cause the enamel to wear away and make teeth feel painful.

Whatever the causes of tooth ache it is always best to get it seen by a dentist. Things like abscesses won’t just go away, no matter how hard you wish. In fact, if they are left to their own devices, they will only get worse. Make an appointment to see an Aintree dentist and then get into the habit of going to the surgery every six months for a check up. With good home care and regular appointments at the dentist, you should be able to avoid many of the causes of tooth ache in the first place.

Root canal treatment from Birkenhead dentist saves tooth

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

When tooth decay has attacked a tooth to the extent that it is dead or dying, it may be necessary to undergo a procedure called root canal treatment. This is a procedure that involves removing the decaying pulp from the center of the tooth in an effort to stop painful infections, which may spread eventually to other healthy teeth. Root canals can also be used to help treat tooth abscesses and infections likely to cause an abscess.

Although root canals have a bad reputation as a particularly unpleasant and painful surgery, this is not necessarily the case. Sometimes the procedure is little more than a routine filling and no more painful. The dentist performing the surgery will do all they can to eliminate the pain, and almost certainly there will be some sort of anaesthetic.

This is usually a two-step process which starts with a gelly-like substance being applied to the gums to densensitise them before a local anaesthtic is used to numb the teeth, gums and tongue. Once this has taken effect the dentist will then remove the decaying or dead pulp, sometimes using the dreaded drill. This iconic instrument is often the source of many fears about visiting the dentist but it really is a relatively simple procedure. Once the pulp is removed the remaining cavity is filled with medicine and filling material. This is then capped with a root canal filling before being topped with a crown if necessary. Numbness and mild pain is common for a couple of days after the procedure but this can be easily controlled using painkillers

Despite the nasty reputation, a root canal is a vital part of dentistry. Bacteria that lives in infected tissue can enter the bloodstream causing infections and health problems in other parts of the body, and even heart problems. Once a tooth is infected it is necessary to treat it and remove the infected tissue as soon as possible to prevent the spread of infection. Root canals perform this task without the need to completely remove the tooth.

An infected tooth can be a very painful experience. Toothache is not a laughing matter, which anyone who’s suffered from it will testify. If you are suffering pain in one or more of your teeth, have a tooth abscess or think you may need a root canal treatment, don’t let fear put you off. You need to make an appointment to see a London dentist as soon as possible to prevent the spread of infection and save your tooth. A Birkenhead dentist will be able to thoroughly check over your teeth for infection and provide any root canal treatments that are necessary.